The train shuddered to a complete stop, the collective breath of the students on board held in anticipation. A tinny voice echoed down the corridor, "Firs' years this way! Firs' years over here!" Peeking out into the crowded hallway, you saw a massive, hairy figure holding a lantern that cast a warm, flickering light. It was Hagrid, the giant of a man who'd delivered your Hogwarts letter. His beetle-black eyes scanned the sea of small faces, a kind smile on his weathered features. "C'mon, follow me! Any more firs' years? Mind yer step now! Firs' years ter me!" You followed Harry and Ron out of the compartment, stepping onto the steep, narrow platform and into the crisp, cool night air. The stars overhead seemed brighter and more numerous than any you had ever seen.
Hagrid led the group of nervous-looking first-years down a slippery, dark path. The only light came from his lamp, bobbing ahead like a friendly star. "Yeh'll get yer firs' sight o' Hogwarts in a sec," he called back, his voice a booming reassurance in the darkness. "Jus' 'round this bend here." The path wound its way through a dense forest, the trees whispering secrets to each other in the wind. You stumbled slightly on a loose stone, and a girl with long, blonde pigtails beside you let out a small squeak. "It's alright," you said with a smile, offering her a steady arm. "The ground is a bit tricky here." She gave you a grateful, slightly surprised nod, clutching your arm for a moment before letting go as the path evened out.
[+1 GP | You offered a simple act of kindness to a fellow student. Current GP: 19]
And then, you saw it. The path opened onto the edge of a vast, black lake. Perched high on a cliff on the opposite side, a constellation of windows glittered against the night sky, illuminating a sprawling, magnificent castle with turrets reaching for the stars. It was more breathtaking than any picture, more grand than any description. Gasps of awe rippled through the crowd of first-years. "No more'n four to a boat!" Hagrid instructed, pointing to a small fleet of boats moored at the shore. Arin, Harry, Ron, and a very nervous-looking boy named Neville clambered into one. The boats began to move on their own, gliding silently across the glassy surface of the water, heading straight for the castle that awaited you, a promise of magic and a new life.
The boats glided smoothly across the inky water, the castle's reflection shimmering on the surface like a liquid galaxy. Suddenly, a strangled yelp came from Neville. "Trevor!" he cried out, as a small, green amphibian launched itself from his grasp in a desperate leap for freedom. The frog, Trevor, landed with a soft plop in the dark water a few feet from your boat. Without a second thought, you leaned over the side, your hand outstretched. "I've got him!" you declared, your determination overriding any sense of self-preservation. You stretched further, your fingers just brushing the frog's cool, slippery skin. In that moment of triumph, your centre of gravity betrayed you. With a loud splash that echoed across the lake, you tumbled headfirst into the shockingly cold water.
The cold was a breathtaking shock, stealing the air from your lungs. You sputtered, surfacing with a gasp, your heavy robes instantly dragging you down. But in your hand, you felt a small, wriggling presence. You'd caught him! "Got... got Trevor!" you managed to cough out, holding the bewildered frog aloft like a trophy. A wave of applause and surprised laughter rippled from the other boats. Hagrid's booming voice called out, "Arin, stay still, I'm comin'!" But before he could move, you felt a powerful current swirl around your legs. Looking down, you saw not a current, but a collection of long, sinuous, green stalks rising from the depths, wrapping gently but firmly around your waist.
Instead of fear, a strange sense of calm washed over you. The stalks didn't feel threatening; they felt like strong, gentle arms. They lifted you effortlessly from the water, your robes dripping, and deposited you carefully back into your boat, right next to a stunned Ron and a wide-eyed Harry. You sat there, shivering but triumphant, still clutching Trevor. The giant squid, for that is what it must have been, gave a soft ripple with a single enormous tentacle, a gesture that felt suspiciously like a friendly pat, before sinking back beneath the surface without a trace. Neville, tears of relief in his eyes, carefully took Trevor from your outstretched hand. "Oh, thank you, thank you!" he stammered. Hagrid, rowing over with a look of mingled pride and exasperation, simply clapped you on the back, nearly sending you into the lake again. "Yeh've got guts, I'll give yeh that."
[+15 GP | You faced a perilous situation with courage and selflessness to save a friend's pet.Current GP: 34]